AGRICULTURAL  EXPERIMENT  STATION 


UNIVERSITY   OF  CALIFORNIA 
COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE 


BENJ.  IDE    WHEELER,    President 

THOMAS   FORSYTH    HUNT,    DEAN  AND   DIRECTOR 

BERKELEY  H.   E.  VAN   NORMAN.  Vice-director  and   Dean, 

University  Farm  School 


CIRCULAR  No.  109 

January,  1914. 

COMMUNITY  OR  LOCAL  EXTENSION  WORK  BY  THE 
HIGH  SCHOOL  AGRICULTURAL  DEPARTMENT. 

By  W.  G.  Hummel. 

A  type  of  work  connected  with  agricultural  instruction  in  high 
schools  which  is  receiving  increasing  attention  from  persons  interested 
in  the  promotion  of  agricultural  education  is  that  of  local  extension  or 
community  work.  By  this  is  meant  work  for  the  agricultural  com- 
munities surrounding  the  schools — for  the  men  and  women  on  the  farms, 
for  the  farm  boys  and  girls  not  in  school,  for  townspeople  interested 
in  agriculture  or  agricultural  products  and  for  the  general  promotion 
of  agricultural  knowledge  and  prosperity  in  the  community. 

It  aims  to  connect  school  life  with  the  home  life  of  the  community, 
to  bring  school  instruction  in  touch  with  local  farm  practice,  to  bring 
to  the  attention  of  adults  interested  in  agriculture  any  discoveries  or 
practices  of  scientific  agriculture  the  application  of  which  would  be 
beneficial  locally,  to  unite  the  agricultural  interests  of  the  community, 
to  add  zest  to  country  living,  and,  in  short,  to  promote  in  any  way 
possible  better  methods  of  work;  greater  profits,  and  contentment  and 
happiness  for  farm  people. 

The  fact  that  the  school  and  its  life  and  work  should  be  more  closely 
connected  with  the  life  of  the  community  than  has  been  the  case  in  the 
past  is  becoming  almost  universally  recognized.  Publications  on  "the 
school  as  a  civic  center,"  "the  school  as  a  social  center,"  "the  unifica- 
tion of  the  community  through  the  school,"  and  the  like,  are  becoming 
numerous.  The  programs  of  teachers'  associations  and  educational 
conventions  show  evidence  of  the  thought  and  discussion  being  given  to 
this  problem. 

In  some  communities  the  only  attempt  to  relate  school  and  home 
more  closely  is  by  the  opening  of  the  school  building  to  the  people  of  the 
community  for  social  events,  club  meetings,  etc.  In  such  cases  the 
teachers  of  the  school  frequently  have  no  interest  in  the  meetings  and 
do  not  attend  them.     The  school  building  serves  the  community  for 


—  2  — 

more  than  one  purpose,  and  a  desirable  community  spirit  may  be  fos- 
tered. But  the  school  and  its  life  is  not  intimately  related  to  the  life 
or  work  of  the  community.  There  is  no  vital  connecting  link  between 
the  life  and  work  of  the  community  and  that  of  the  school. 

In  other  communities,  however,  it  is  felt  that  the  opening  of  the 
school  to  the  people  for  any  legitimate  purposes  not  interfering  with 
the  school  work  is  not  enough.  It  is  believed  that  the  teachers,  the 
supposed  educational  leaders  of  the  community,  should  extend  their 
services  outside  the  schoolroom  and  school  hours  for  the  education  or 
social  good  of  the  community  employing  them. 

Advantages  and   opportunities  of  local  extension  work  in   agriculture. 

There  is  opportunity  for  every  department  of  the  school  to  take  a 
part  in  this  community  or  local  extension  work  in  one  way  or  another, 
if  desired.  But  while  each  department  may  contribute  something  to 
the  life  of  the  community  and  in  return  receive  community  interest 
and  support,  it  is  through  the  vocational  departments — agriculture, 
home  economics,  and  manual  training — that  the  most  far-reaching, 
most  intimate,  and  most  helpful  relations  can  be  established.  While 
a  few  people  are  interested  in  history,  botany,  and  art,  practically  all 
are  interested  to  a  greater  or  less  degree  in  the  basic  occupations  of  the 
world,  particularly  agriculture  and  home  economics.  The  spread  of 
better  methods  in  agriculture  and  home  economics  affects  every  family, 
directly  or  indirectly.  Increased  agricultural  prosperity  means  in- 
creased prosperity  throughout  the  nation. 

Important  as  are  other  lines  of  community  work,  it  is  our  purpose  in 
this  circular  to  discuss  only  the  community  or  local  extension  work 
which  may  profitably  be  carried  on  by  the  high  school  agricultural 
department.  The  needs,  possibilities,  and  demand  for  this  form  of 
high  school  community  work  are,  it  is  believed,  greater  than  for 
any  other.  Its  benefits  are  more  widely  extended.  Properly  carried 
on,  they  should  extend  to  the  community,  to  the  local  school,  and  to  the 
agricultural  experiment  station.  They  should  reach  the  purse,  the 
mind;  and  the  spirit.  They  should  bring  increased  knowledge,  added 
profits,  and  greater  contentment  and  happiness  to  farm  people.  To  the 
agricultural  teacher,  local  extension  work  offers  an  opportunity  for 
acquiring  an  intimate  knowledge  of  local  agricultural  conditions  and 
needs  which  will  be  of  great  value  to  him  in  his  school  work.  It 
emphasizes  the  value  of  school  instruction  in  agriculture  in  the  minds 
of  pupils.  It  paves  the  way  for  profitable  class  field  trips  and  excur- 
sions to  local  farms  and  secures  the  interest  and  co-operation  of  intelli- 
gent farmers  of  the  community  in  the  school  work.  And,  finally,  local 
extension  work  forms  a  connecting  link  between  the  state  agricultural 
college  and  the  school,  and  between  the  college  and  the  farming  popula- 
tion, which  is  of  benefit  to  all  three. 


—  3  — 

The  college  is  doing  notable  investigational  work  along  agricultural 
lines.  It  has  agricultural  experts  who  are  giving  their  time  and  efforts 
to  the  study  of  farming  problems.  It  publishes  bulletins  recording  the 
results  of  their  investigations  and  study.  Yet  these  bulletins  reach  but 
comparatively  few  of  the  farming  population.  Moreover,  some  of  the 
bulletins  are  too  technical  for  the  average  farmer.  Even  when  they 
are  popularly  written,  individual  farmers  sometimes  fail  to  understand 
how  to  apply  the  methods  outlined  to  their  particular  conditions. 

The  extension  division  of  the  college  endeavors  to  take  the  results 
of  investigational  work  to  the  farmers  at  farmers'  institutes  and  by 
means  of  the  demonstration  train.  But  not  all  farmers  are  reached  in 
this  way.  Only  a  limited  number  of  topics  can  be  treated  at  the  insti- 
tutes of  a  given  locality.  It  is  frequently  difficult  for  institute  workers 
to  answer  questions  of  farmers  as  to  individual  problems  without  a 
visit  to  the  farm  in  question.  And  this  visit  it  is  often  impossible  to 
arrange. 

The  college  conducts  short  courses;  but  only  a  few  farm  boys  and 
girls,  or  adult  farmers,  find  it  possible  to  attend  them.  The  agri- 
cultural education  division  of  the  college  conducts  correspondence 
courses,  and  many  farmers  are  taking  advantage  of  them.  But  a  great 
number  are  not  reached  in  this  way.  And  among  these  are  many  of 
those  who  need  help  most. 

Moreover,  farmers  in  every  community  have  individual  problems 
constantly  coming  up.  These  are  often  not  touched  upon  by  the  college 
workers  through  any  of  the  agencies  mentioned;  or,  if  taken  up  at  the 
institutes,  etc.,  it  is  often  at  so  distant  a  time  that  the  farmer  does  not 
get  help  when  he  needs  it  and  would  use  it.  It  is  true  that  all  workers 
at  the  college  are  glad  to  answer  questions  as  to  individual  problems,  but 
many  farmers,  for  one  reason  or  another,  do  not  write  to  the  college. 

So  it  is  found  that  a  large  number  of  persons  interested  in  agriculture 
are  best,  or  only,  reached  through  the  effort  of  a  local  person  of  broad 
agricultural  knowledge,  interested  in  and  familiar  with  agricultural 
conditions  throughout  the  district,  and  constantly  on  the  alert  for 
practices  or  ideas  promising  increased  agricultural  prosperity  to  the 
communit}^ 

It  may  be  said  that  for  just  this  reason  county  agricultural  demonstra- 
tors or  advisors  are  being  appointed  in  many  localities.  That  these 
men  are  doing  and  will  continue  to  do  valuable  work  for  the  farmers  of 
their  respective  counties,  there  is  no  doubt.  But  some  counties  are  as 
large  as  the  smaller  states.  The  extension  field  still  frequently  remains 
so  large  that  it  is  only  at  long  intervals  that  the  county  advisor  can 
get  in  touch  with  individual  farmers.  His  work  and  time  is  divided 
among  many  communities. 


—  4  — 

(>u  the  other  hand,  the  teacher  of  agriculture  in  the  high  school,  if 
properly  prepared  for  his  work,  is  in  an  ideal  position  to  carry  on  work 
for  the  agricultural  welfare  and  progress  of '  the  individual  community. 
He  has  the  opportunity,  through  local  extension  work,  to  deal  directly 
with  farming  people,  while  the  college  is  usually  compelled  to  work  for 
them  at  a  distance.  He  is  in  the  community,  "on  the  job,"  every  day. 
The  county  advisor  can  be  there  only  at  more  or  less  infrequent  inter- 
vals. The  agricultural  teacher  is  able  to  make  himself,  through  con- 
tinuous association,  the  farmer's  friend  and  confidant.  This  close 
association  is  impossible  for  the  college  workers.  It  comes  slowly  for 
the  county  advisor.  And,  as  has  been  said,  the  county  advisor  is 
not  always  at  hand.  Yet  it  means  much,  for  farmers  as  a  class  do 
not  express  themselves  or  discuss  their  problems  freely  without  close 
acquaintanceship. 

But  the  agricultural  teacher  not  only  has  an  opportunity  to  do  valu- 
able community  work;  it  is  a  part  of  his  duty  to  make  himself  a  vital 
factor  in  promoting  better  agriculture  and  happier  country  living 
throughout  the  community  employing  him.  He  should  not  only  be 
able  to  give  good  counsel  and  advice  when  asked,  but  should  so  famil- 
iarize himself  with  farming  conditions  and  so  identify  himself  with 
agricultural  interests  that  farmers  will  bring  him  their  problems  and 
need  his  advice.  He  should  give  them  confidence  that  he  will  personally 
do  for  them  what  he  can;  and  that  questions  which  he  does  not  feel 
competent  to  answer  he  will  take  for  them  to  some  agricultural  expert 
especially  fitted  to  do  so. 

The  high  school  agricultural  teacher  should  feel  obligated  to  carry  on 
more  or  less  local  extension  work,  not  only  because  of  his  duty  to  the 
community  and  to  the  school,  but  because  he  owes  a  duty  to  the  state 
agricultural  college  and  experiment  station.  He  owes  this  duty  whether 
he  received  his  education  there  or  not.  The  state  agricultural  college 
represents  the  highest  plane  in  agricultural  education  in  the  State.  The 
high  school  agricultural  department  is  but  a  middle  link  in  the  scheme 
of  public  education  in  agriculture.  The  high  school  agricultural  teacher 
should  feel  that  he  owes  to  the  elementary  agricultural  work  of  the 
grades  and  to  the  advanced  work  of  the  agricultural  college  whatever 
he  can  give.  He  can  give  to  the  college,  through  community  work, 
valuable  co-operation  in  its  extension  work  and  useful  information  as  to 
local  agricultural  problems. 

Workers  at  the  agricultural  college  and  experiment  station  are  desir- 
ous of  using  their  time  and  effort  to  the  best  advantage  in  solving  the 
problems  of  the  farmers  of  the  State.  They  want  the  greatest  possible 
familiarity  with  agricultural  conditions  and  needs.  They  want  imme- 
diate  information   as   to   new  farm  pests,   troublesome   diseases,   new 


—  5  — 

varieties  of  plants  and  animals,  etc.  Frequently  it  is  difficult  for  them 
to  secure  this  information  at  the  time  when  it  would  be  most  useful, 
because  farmers  do  not  recognize  conditions  which  should  be  looked 
into,  do  not  know  whom  to  inform,  or  delay  calling  attention  to  the 
facts  until  it  is  difficult  to  apply  corrective  measures. 

The  high  school  agricultural  teacher  doing  local  extension  work  is  in 
a  most  favorable  position  to  watch  conditions  and  detect  needs  and  to 
pass  on  useful  information  concerning  them  to  the  college.  When  his 
interest  is  apparent,  all  kinds  of  local  agricultural  information,  of  big 
and  little  importance,  will  come  to  him.  It  will  come  to  him  through 
his  visits  to  farms,  from  the  farmers,  and  from  his  pupils.  No  one  has 
an  opportunity  for  more  intimate  agricultural  knowledge  of  the  com- 
munity than  he. 

Where  there  is  no  county  agricultural  advisor,  the  agricultural  teacher 
should  exert  a  double  vigilance  in  his  extension  work  and  should  keep 
in  close  touch  with  the  extension  division  of  the  state  agricultural 
college  as  well  as  with  its  agricultural  education  division.  Where  there 
is  a  county  advisor  his  relations  with  the  extension  division  of  the 
college  will  naturally  be  somewhat  more  remote,  co-operation  with  the 
county  advisor  taking  its  place. 

Teachers  of  other  than  vocational  subjects  frequently  find  it  difficult 
to  do  helpful  community  work  connected  with  their  special  subjects 
even  when  they  so  desire.  There  is  a  lack  of  interest  on  which  to  base 
their  endeavors.  But  the  teacher  of  agriculture  is  usually  fortunate 
in  having  a  ready  made  interest. 

High  schools  teaching  agriculture  are,  naturally,  located  in  towns, 
cities,  or  rural  communities  where  large  numbers  of  students  are  drawn 
from  the  farming  population  or  where  the  prosperity  of  the  high  school 
community  is  largely  dependent  upon  agriculture.  It  is  for  schools  so 
located  that  agricultural  instruction  has  come  to  be  recognized  as  a  right 
and  a  necessity.  A  large  part  of  the  population  in  such  communities 
has  not  only  a  general  interest  in  agriculture,  but  a  direct  interest,  given 
impetus  by  the  fact  that  the  industry  supports  a  large  proportion  of 
its  people. 

The  field  for  local  extension  work  is  undoubtedly  a  broad  one.  Many 
avenues  for  community  work  are  open  to  the  high  school  teacher  of 
agriculture.  Many  kinds  have  been  successfully  carried  on  in  various 
parts  of  the  country.  However,  hitherto  the  agricultural  teacher  has 
had  little  in  the  way  of  guidance  in  the  work.  Individual  teachers  in 
various  states  who  have  recognized  the  need  and  advantages  of  the  work 
have  attempted  to  carry  it  on.  In  a  few  states  where  state  aid  is  given 
to  agricultural  instruction  in  the  public  high  schools,  a  certain  amount 
of  community  work  is  required  of  the  agricultural  teacher  by  law.     But 


—  6  — 

because  teachers  have  not  known  what  other  agricultural  teacher.-;  have 
attempted  in  the  way  of  community  work,  their  successes  and  their 
failures,  the  difficulties  and  problems  of  the  work,  some  teachers  hesitate 
to  begin  such  work  even  though  they  feel  its  value.  Others  attempt 
the  work  but  make  such  serious  mistakes  in  their  methods  that  their 
efforts  do  little  if  any  good.     They  may  even  be  harmful. 

It  therefore  seemed  wise,  before  preparing  this  circular,  to  conduct 
an  investigation  with  regard  to  what  has  actually  been  done  by  agri- 
cultural teachers  in  high  schools,  and  by  teachers  in  rural  consolidated 
schools  of  secondary  grade,  in  the  way  of  local  work  for  the  improve- 
ment of  agricultural  conditions  in  their  respective  communities. 

Letters  and  questionnaires  were  sent  to  a  large  number  of  agricultural 
teachers  in  secondary  schools  scattered  throughout  the  United  States, 
in  the  endeavor  to  gather  opinions  and  facts  embodying  the  results  of 
experience  in  local  agricultural  extension  work.  Teachers  were  asked 
to  tell,  first,  of  any  and  all  ways  in  which  local  farmers  have  been 
directly  helped  and  in  which  benefit  has  resulted  to  the  agricultural 
interests  of  the  community  through  the  agricultural  department  of  high 
schools  in  which  they  have  taught  or  are  now  teaching.  An  expression 
of  opinion  with  regard  to  the  following  and  similar  questions  was  also 
asked : 

What  kinds  of  local  community  work  can  be  successfully  carried  on 
by  the  agricultural  teacher  in  the  ordinary  public  high  school  where 
agriculture  is  taught?  "What  seem  the  most  promising  lines  of  com- 
munity work  which  can  be  undertaken  by  the  agricultural  teacher  in 
the  high  school  for  the  adult  farmers  of  the  surrounding  community? 
For  the  boys  and  girls  not  attending  school  (over  school  age)  ?  For 
the  farm  women  of  the  community?  For  teachers  in  the  small  rural 
schools  of  the  surrounding  districts  ? 

What  provision  as  to  money  for  carrying  on  such  work  should  be 
made  ?  Should  the  support  of  such  work  come  entirely  from  the  school 
board?  If  not,  from  what  sources  should  it  come?  What  arrange- 
ments should  be  made  as  to  the  time  available  for  the  teacher  to  plan 
and  carry  on  such  work  ? 

As  a  result  of  the  investigation  a  quantity  of  valuable  material  was 
received,  much  of  which  was  accompanied  by  illustrative  photographs. 
This  material  forms  the  basis  of  much  of  this  circular.  The  conclusions 
reached  and  the  recommendations  made  are  therefore  not  untried  and 
problematic.  They  represent,  in  composite,  opinions  formed  and  expe- 
rience gained  in  such  work  in  many  schools  and  in  many  states. 
Actual  experiences  and  results  are  chronicled. 

Arrangement  as  to  time  available  for  the  teacher  to  carry  on  community  work. 

It  is  evident  that  an  expenditure  of  considerable  time  will  be  neces- 
sary if  the  agricultural  teacher  is  to  do  effective  local  extension  work. 


—  7  — 

It  takes  time  to  become  familiar  with  needs  and  conditions,  to  get  to  and 
from  farms,  to  plan  lines  of  endeavor,  and  to  carry  them  on. 

The  teacher  can  not  be  expected  to  teach  as  many  hours  during  each 
school  day  as  do  teachers  in  other  high  school  departments  and  in 
addition  carry  on  community  work.  Even  though  every  department 
of  the  high  school  takes  its  part  in  community  work,  more  time  should 
be  allowed  the  agricultural  teacher  than  others  for  the  work  because  of 
the  special  and  excessive  demands  in  his  work  and  the  time  required  to 
meet  them.  If  the  agricultural  teacher  has  only  Saturdays  and  after 
school  hours  for  community  work,  he  will  be  overburdened  and  both 
school  and  community  work  will  suffer. 

It  is  clearly  desirable  that  there  be  a  suitable  and  definite  allowance 
of  time  for  extension  work.  If  agricultural  classes  are  so  arranged  that 
the  instructor's  free  time  can  be  economically  and  effectively  utilized 
for  the  work,  it  will  be  of  great  advantage. 

In  reply  to  the  question  as  to  what  arrangements  should  be  made  as 
to  time  available  for  the  teacher  to  plan  and  carry  on  the  work,  cor- 
respondents were,  in  general,  of  like  opinion. 

They  agreed  that  the  agricultural  teacher  doing  community  or  local 
extension  work  should  not  be  asked  to  teach  any  subjects  other  than  agri- 
culture (as  botany,  chemistry,  etc.),  and  that  his  class  work  should  be  so 
arranged  as  to  leave  him  a  certain  amount  of  time  free  for  getting  out 
to  farms,  studying  local  conditions,  helping  solve  farm  problems,  and 
the  like.  By  the  majority  of  correspondents  it  is  considered  advisable 
that  one  half  of  each  school  day,  preferably  the  morning,  be  given  to 
class  work  and  the  other  left  free  for  preparation  for  laboratory  work, 
school  farm  work,  and  community  work,  except  when  short  courses  are 
being  conducted  in  addition  to  the  regular  school  work.  In  any  case, 
a  definite  amount  of  free  time  weekly  should  be  arranged  for  the  work. 
Many  express  the  opinion  that  the  high  school  agricultural  teacher 
should  be  hired  for  twelve  months,  a  vacation  of  one  month  being 
arranged  for  at  the  most  convenient  time.  In  this  case  it  is  agreed 
that  he  may  do  much  of  his  extension  work  during  school  vacations, 
though  he  should  still  be  allowed  a  definite  part  of  his  time  during  the 
school  year  for  this  purpose  and  should  continue  his  efforts  at  all 
seasons. 

Financial    support   of   agricultural    community    work. 

With  regard  to  support  for  the  work,  it  is  generally  agreed  that  there 
should  be  legislation  providing  for  state  aid  to  public  high  schools  main- 
taining agricultural  departments,  and  that  a  part  of  the  support  of 
the  local  extension  work  should  come  from  this  source.  It  is  also  agreed 
that  the  local  high  school  board  should  bear  a  part  of  the  expenses. 
That  the  farmers  of  the  community,  to  whom  a  great  part  of  the  ben- 


—  8  — 

efits  of  local  extension  work  come,  should  contribute  to  its  support,  is 
unquestioned.  Yet  it  is  conceded  that  their  help  can  not  be  looked  for 
or  depended  upon  to  any  great  extent  in  starting  the  work.  They  must 
first  be  convinced,  by  results,  of  its  value  to  them. 

Local  extension  work  in  connection  with  high  school  agricultural 
teaching  has  undoubtedly  proved  most  successful  in  those  states  where 
it  receives  state  aid,  yet  it  is  being  carried  on  very  helpfully  in  states 
where  it  has  only  local  support.  Sometimes  this  local  support  comes 
entirely  from  the  local  high  school  board,  sometimes  it  comes  partially 
from  progressive  business  men  of  the  locality,  and  sometimes  it  is 
secured  partly  from  the  farmers,  after  they  are  convinced  of  the  benefits 
of  the  work. 

Financial  support  for  the  work  is  needed  in  order  that  a  suitable 
conveyance  may  be  provided  for  the  agricultural  teacher,  to  facilitate 
getting  around  the  community  and  visiting  farms.  Money  is  frequently 
needed  for  apparatus,  as  Babcock  testers,  for  the  printing  of  brief  farm 
bulletins,  short  course  announcements  and  the  like,  and  for  various 
other  purposes.  Yet  no  high  school  agricultural  teacher,  in  whatever 
state  or  locality,  should  be  discouraged  because  of  lack  of  funds  for 
the  wTork.  Even  where  the  school  principal  and  the  school  board  do  not 
favor  extension  work  by  allowing  either  time  or  money  for  it,  much  can 
be  done  by  a  tactful  man  who  has  a  real  knowledge  of  the  community 
and  interest  in  its  rural  needs  and  welfare.  He  may  still  make  a 
beginning  in  the  work,  winning  gradually  the  encouragement  and 
assistance  of  the  principal  and  school  board  by  proofs  of  its  value  and 
usefulness.  No  teacher  is  justified  in  antagonizing  his  principal  or 
school  board  by  engaging  in  community  work  of  which  they  do  not 
approve.  But  there  is  no  doubt  that  a  tactful  teacher  can  find  ways  in 
which  to  make  a  start  in  local  extension  work  which  will  neither  require 
an  expenditure  of  money,  an  excess  of  his  time,  or  arouse  opposition 
from  the  school  authorities. 

State  aid  for  vocational  departments  in  the  public  high  schools  is 
greatly  to  be  desired  and  legislation  to  that  end  is  being  enacted  in 
many  states.  Every  agricultural  teacher  should  do  his  share  in  educat- 
ing the  people  of  the  State  to  its  final  necessity.  Yet  it  is  not,  as  has 
been  indicated,  absolutely  essential  before  a  start  can  be  made  in  helpful 
community  work.  It  should  be  a  goal  toward  which  persons  interested 
in  the  promotion  of  agricultural  education  should  work  in  every  state 
where  it  has  not  been  secured,  but  its  present  lack  should  not,  in  any 
case,  prevent  work  toward  the  ideal  educational  service  which  it  is 
intended  to  make  possible. 

Forms   of   agricultural    community   work. 

The  kinds  of  community  work  which  may  be  successfully  undertaken 
are  many,  as  has  been  said.     They  may  be  roughly  classified  under  five 


—  9  — 


ATTENTION! 


These  Young  Men  and   Women  Attended 

SHORT  COURSE  IN  AGRICULTURE 


heads:  (1)  work  with  farmers,  as  organizing  or  working  in  farmers' 
clubs,  an  annual  "farmers'  week"  of  agricultural  lectures,  field  and 
orchard  demonstrations,  co-operative  experiments  on  farms,  good  seed 
distribution,    seed    and    milk 

testing,  preparing  plans  for  FARMER  BOYS 
buildings,  and  selecting  and 
purchasing  improved  live- 
stock, etc.;  (2)  work  with 
farm  women,  as  afternoon 
or  evening  meetings,  short 
courses,  and  home  garden 
and  poultry  experiments ; 
(3)  work  with  }roung  people, 
as  short  courses  in  agricul- 
ture and  home  economics, 
agricultural  contests,  and  lit- 
erary societies;  (4)  work 
with  rural  school  teachers,  as 
meetings  for  agricultural  in- 
struction, assisting  in  con- 
ducting school  fairs  and 
rallies,  and  outline  lessons  in 
agriculture  and  home  eco- 
nomics; and  (5)  work  with 
rural  school  children,  as 
boys'  and  girls'  agricultural 
or  domestic  science  clubs, 
school  house  "fairs"  or  ex- 
hibits of  work,  rural  improve- 
ment and  athletic  field  days. 
Many  kinds  of  community 
work  included  in  each  of 
these  classes  has  been  carried 
on  in  various  parts  of  the 
country  by  high  school  agri- 
cultural teachers.  In  no  one 
community  would  it  be  pos- 
sible or  desirable  to  carry  on 
all  the  forms  of  service  which 
have  been  found  helpful. 
The  work  to  be  undertaken 
in  any  given  locality  depends, 
naturally,  on  what  the  com- 


Anoka  High  School 


Last 
Winter 


This 
Year? 


Are  You  Going  to  Attend 

We  Would  Like  to  Have  You  ST 

The  Agricultural  Work  will  rnvrr.  in  ;\    practical    manner. 

FARM  CROPS.  FARM  ANIMALS.  SOILS,  and  Many 
Topics  of  Local  Importance  It  will  include  practical  discus- 
sions and  work  in 

Milk  Testing, 

Corn  Judging, 

Latest  Feeding  Methods  and  Standards, 
Handling  of  Manures, 
Cattle  Management, 

Handling  of  the  Soils,  Etc. 

BEGINS  NOVEMBER  25  AND  CONTINUES 
FOR  THREE  MONTHS 

For  Circulars  and  Information  Write  to 

F.  E.  LURTON, 

Superintendent  City  Schools. 

.     G.  A.  AMIDON, 

Director  Agr.  Dept. 

Announcement   of    Short   Course   in    Agriculture 
at  Anoka    (Minn.)    High   School. 


10  — 


munity  most  needs  and  desires,  and  on  the  time  and  resources  avail- 
able for  the  work.  But  something  can  be  done  in  every  community 
where  the  high  school  has  an  agricultural  department.  And,  if  pos- 
sible, it  is  usually  desirable  that  some  form  of  work  be  done  for  each 
of  the  classes  mentioned  above. 

What   high    schools   have   accomplished    in   agricultural   community   work. 

A  clear  understanding  of  the  aims  and  values  of  agricultural  com- 
munity or  local  extension  work  in  connection  with  high  school  agri- 
cultural   instruction    is    neces- 


sary for  the  well  informed 
teacher  of  agriculture  in  sec- 
ondary schools  at  the  present 
time.  Knowledge  of  the  forms 
of  community  work  which  may 
be  undertaken  and  which 
promise  the  best  results  should 
be  a  part  of  such  a  teacher's 
mental  equipment.  But  most 
helpful  of  all  will  be  an  ac- 
quaintance with  what  other 
high  school  agricultural  teach- 
ers have  actually  achieved 
along  these  lines,  and  their 
methods  of  work.  We,  there- 
fore, quote  below  from  a  few 
of  several  hundred  interesting 
letters  from  teachers  describ- 
ing community  work  carried  on 
by  them.  The  limits  of  this 
circular  make  it  possible  to 
give  only  brief  extracts  from 
the  letters  selected.  These  are 
not    always    the    most    human 

Cover  of  five-page  bulletin  on  alfalfa  issued  and  interesting,  but  it  is  be- 
by  the  agricultural  department  of  the  Canby  „  .  . 
(Minn.)  High  School.  At  the  end  of  the  lieved  that  they  are  iairly  rep- 
bulletin  is  the  following  note:  "If  this  little  T  ,  .  ,, 
bulletin  does  not  answer  all  your  questions  in  resentatlVC  in  CHOOSing  them, 
regard  to  alfalfa,  ask  more.  We  are  here  to  Hnnli  ration  of  <;tflt<nnpnts 
answer    them    as   far    as    we   are    able.     Make  non-CUipilCailOn    01    bldienieuLb 

your  wants  known."  and  concjseness  in  expression 

were  determining  factors  as  well  as  the  account  of  the  work  done. 

"Last  year  we  held  a  hog  cholera  serum  demonstration  which  was 
attended  by  many  farmers  from  about  the  country. 

' '  The  preceding  season  was  a  very  hard  time  to  get  seed  corn  which 
would  grow.  Many  farmers  had  no  seed  and  did  not  know  where  to 
get  it.     The  school  shipped  in  a  carload  of  reliable  seed  corn  and  sold 


Canty  State  High  School 

Department  of  Agriculture 

FARM  FACTS 

Bulletin  No.  3 

ALFALFA 

IN  THE  INTEREST  OF  ALL  OUR  LIVESTOCK 
THE  DAIRY  THE  HOG 


By  EDWIN  S.  BILLINGS 

Director  Department  of  Agriculture 


The  Canby  High  School  Offers  Long  and  Short 
Courses  in  Agriculture,  Woodwork,  Domestic 
Science.  For  particulars  address  Supt.  Sidney 
C  Huffman  or  Mr   E.  S.  Billings.      ■      ■      ■     . 


Issued  February  1915 


—  11  — 

this  out  at  cost  to  farmers.  This  was  all  pedigreed  corn  and  as  a  result 
two  thousand  acres  of  good  well-bred  corn  grew  around  Canby  last  year. 

' '  Farmers  brought  in  hundreds  of  bushels  of  corn  for  testing  and  the 
school  did  this  either  free  or  at  cost. 

"We  issue  a  school  bulletin  on  timely  topics  every  now  and  then 
and  this  goes  to  farmers  all  about  the  country.  There  is  always  more 
to  do  than  one  man  can  attend  to.  Calls  all  through  the  year  to  go  and 
see  sick  hogs,  look  at  diseased  grain  or  trees  or  show  a  man  how  to  make 
Bordeaux  mixture." — Edwin  S.  Billings,  Canby  (Minn.)  High  School. 

"We  are  now  striving  to  organize  a  cow  testing  association,  and  have 
been  testing  and  keeping  records  of  ten  herds  for  more  than  a  year.  We 
make  the  work  as  easy  as  possible  for  the  farmers  to  begin  with.  We 
furnish  each  with  milk  scales,  milk  sheet  and  bottles.  All  we  ask  of 
them  is  to  record  the  weight  of  morning's  and  evening's  milk,  to  feed  a 
ration  balanced  by  us,  and  to  give  us  a  record  of  milk  and  feed  for  each 
month.  They  send  us  samples  of  milk  once  a  month  and  we  in  turn 
send  them  a  detailed  monthly  statement  of  the  records  of  individual 
cows.  Those  people  who  have  been  doing  this  kind  of  work  will  not 
return  to  the  hit  or  miss  method.  They  buy  the  scale  and  are  glad  to 
do  the  extra  work.  It  is  just  a  matter  of  time  when  we  will  have  a  co- 
operative testing  association.  ♦ 

"We  are  about  to  perfect  a  horse  breeders'  association.  Will  have 
a  Holstein  breeders'  association  soon.  We  reach  many  farmers  by 
testing  and  selecting  corn  and  other  grains  for  them.  We  aid  them  in 
buying  pure  bred  sires  and  dairy  cattle  and  hogs.  We  aid  in  drainage 
work.  We  are  disseminating  seeds  acclimated  on  the  school  farm,  and 
also  introducing  alfalfa  into  the  community.  New  barns  are  being 
planned,  concrete  silos  introduced.  Co-operation  in  the  several  lines  is 
receiving  attention.  Thus  far  we  have  succeeded  in  securing  a  co- 
operative creamery  and  elevator." — L.  H.  Thuerwachter,  Kasson 
(Minn.)  High  School. 

"Our  extension  work  is  devoted  largely  to  the  distribution  of  pure 
bred  seeds  among  the  farmers.  We  have  twenty  acres  of  cultivated 
land  upon  which  we  expect  to  raise  pure  bred  and  well  selected  seed 
corn,  seed  potatoes  and  small  grains. 

' '  We  are  advocating  the  individual  ear  test  for  corn  and  are  testing 
corn  free  of  charge  for  all  farmers  who  bring  it  in. 

"We  are  running  demonstration  plots  in  connection  with  our  school 
farm.  This  year  we  have  seven  alfalfa  plots  in  our  community." — 
J.  S.  Klinka,  Little  Falls  (Minn.)  High  School. 

' '  My  work  with  farmers  consists  of  testing  seeds  both  for  purity  and 
germination,  testing  milk  and  dairy  products,  testing  individual  cows 
in  dairy  herds,  selecting  seeds,  pruning,  grafting  and  orchard  man- 
agement, including  spraying.  In  fact,  I  never  can  tell  what  is  to  be 
the  next  problem  that  will  come  up.  I  have  had  one  farmer  send  in 
the  head  of  a  chicken  which  had  died.  He  wanted  to  know  what  was 
the  matter  with  it.  The  same  day  a  farmer  sent  in  two  ears  of  corn, 
asking  if  they  were  the  kind  for  this  section.  I  made  visits  to  both  of 
these  places,  helping  one  man  to  select  seed  and  urging  more  sanitary 
methods  for  the  chicken  man.  I  go  out  to  the  rural  schools  and  give 
talks  and  assist  in  organizing  farmers'  clubs.  We  have  also  worked 
up  a  good  county  industrial  contest  and  many  local  contests. 


—  12  — 

"We  hold  a  three  months'  short  course  for  boys  over  fourteen  years 
of  age  during  the  winter  months." — John  Swenehart,  Jr.,  Jordan 
(Minn.)  High  School. 

' '  We  organize  farmers '  clubs,  the  meetings  of  which  are  held  in  the 
rural  schoolhouses  of  the  county.  We  work  in  co-operation  with  the 
rural  teacher.  We  get  her  to  announce  a  meeting  and  get  all  of  the 
farmers  possible  in  the  district  to  attend.  One  or  more  of  the  high 
school  faculty  go  out  and  discuss  some  of  the  most  important  farm  ques- 
tions with  the  farmers.  We  have  held  about  twenty-five  of  these  meet- 
ings during  the  past  winter  and  feel  that  we  have  been  quite  successful. 
It  is  best,  if  possible,  to  have  the  school  children  sing  a  few  songs  or  some- 
thing of  the  kind.  Sometimes  the  meeting  is  held  in  connection  with  a 
basket  social.     Anything  to  attract  the  farmers  and  their  wives.     The 


Corn   exhibit,    Long   Prairie    (Minn.)    High   School. 

subjects  that  are  discussed  vary  with  the  district.  They  should  always 
be  chosen  to  suit  the  needs  of  the  particular  locality.  We  have  been 
giving  special  emphasis  to  dairying  and  corn  growing  and  co-operation. 

"We  have  organized  a  corn  breeders'  association.  Each  farmer  is  to 
plant  at  least  one  quarter  acre  of  corn  by  the  'ear  to  the  row'  method. 
The  object  is  to  improve  the  quality  of  the  seed  corn  in  the  locality. 
The  farmers  are  finding  great  difficulty  in  getting  a  strain  of  corn  that 
will  mature  and  do  well  in  this  cold  climate.  The  high  school  is  work- 
ing to  keep  up  the  enthusiasm  in  the  association.  We  keep  records  of 
the  plots  and  shall  put  them  in  bulletin  form. 

' '  Recently  we  have  been  trying  to  get  the  farmers  interested  in  keep- 
ing records  of  their  dairy  herds.  In  this  we  have  been  quite  successful. 
The  farmer  weighs  up  the  milk  from  each  cow  every  day.  I  visit  the 
herd  once  a  month  and  weigh  the  feed  and  make  an  estimate  of  it  for 
the  month.  A  test  of  the  milk  is  also  taken.  In  this  way  the  cost  of 
production  is  figured  out  fairly  accurately.  I  keep  all  of  the  final 
records  and  will  publish  them  in  bulletin  form  at  the  end  of  the  year. 
I  am  very  enthusiastic  over  this  work  and  believe  that  it  will  be  very 
helpful  to  the  dairy  farmers." — Earl  Kilpatrick,  Long  Prairie 
(Minn.)  High  School." 

' k  The  kinds  of  local  community  work  undertaken  here  are : 

(a)  A  ten  acre  demonstration  plot  operated  in  connection  with  the 
school  where  variety  tests  are  being  made  and  rotations  worked  out. 


—  13  — 

(6)  Extension  work  by  agricultural  instructor  and  superintendent 
of  schools  in  rural  schoolhouses,  afternoon  meetings  for  school  children 
and  evening  meetings  for  older  people  and  farmers. 

(c)  A  one  week's  short  course  for  farmers  and  older  boys  not  in 
school  and  also  for  farm  women. 

(d)  Keeping  of  dairy  records  and  making  tests  for  dairymen. 

(e)  Talks  on  teaching  elementary  agriculture  for  rural  teachers  at 
teachers '  associations. 

(/)  This  summer  seven  agricultural  projects  are  to  be  carried  on  in 
connection  with  state  agricultural  college.  High  school  agricultural 
instructor  to  visit  each  of  the  seven  demonstration  farms  once  every 
two  weeks,  to  direct  the  work." — J.  S.  Jones,  Mora  (Minn.)  High 
School. 

"We  have  had  the  agricultural  work  at  Wells  four  years  and  I  have 
had  charge  of  it  during  that  time.  I  mention  this  because  in  a  com- 
munity such  as  we  have  here  the  personal  element  is  the  main  thing  in 
extension  work,  and  with  Polish  and  German  people  it  takes  a  long  time 
to  really  get  acquainted.  A  man  a  year  would  accomplish  nothing. 
Some  of  the  men  will  do  things  for  themselves  simply  to  accommodate 
me,  their  friend,  when  any  amount  of  talking  and  demonstration  might 
not  help.  In  this  state  at  the  present  time  the  agricultural  men  are 
changing  too  much  and  school  boards  would  do  well  to  require  long 
time  contracts. 

"A  fortunate  thing  helped  me  to  win  the  confidence  of  my  Polish 
friends.  A  farm  two  and  one  half  miles  away  had  been  abandoned  for 
about  seven  years  and  was  grown  up  to  milkweed  and  quackgrass,  and 
the  rest  was  slough.  I  purchased  this  personally  and  contrary  to  the 
prediction  of  the  'natives'  it  is  now  a  clean,  prosperous  farm,  and  one 
worthy  of  their  respect.  It  has  done  more  than  all  the  talking  four  men 
could  do  and  all  these  Polish  farmers  go  out  of  their  way  to  pass  by  it 
and  see  what  is  going  on." — H.  C.  Woodworth,  Wells  (Minn.)  High 
School. 

"I  have  had  a  demonstration  meeting  in  which  pruning,  spraying, 
and  setting  trees  was  the  subject.  One  man,  for  instance,  had  been 
trimming  his  cherry  trees  too  severely  and  when  he  changed  his  methods 
by  the  advice  of  the  demonstrator  had  better  success.  I  demonstrated 
testing  soils  for  acidity  and  received  samples  of  soils  which  I  tested. 
Some  of  these  soils  I  found  to  be  acid  and  told  them  to  apply  lime  and 
they  had  good  results.  One  man  was  about  to  buy  30  tons  of  lime  to 
apply  on  his  soil.  I  found  this  soil  was  alkaline  and  no  lime  needed. 
I  also  demonstrated  several  methods  of  inoculating  alfalfa,  and  as  a 
result  twenty  farmers  are  going  to  raise  alfalfa.  Each  farmer  will  be 
visited,  his  soil  tested  for  him,  the  field  selected,  and  advice  given  until 
the  crop  is  well  started.  I  have  also  four  boys  who  are  going  to  start 
raising  alfalfa  under  my  supervision. 

"A  project  which  I  am  planning  is  home  demonstration  for  boys.  I 
plan  to  get  them  to  raising  corn  and  potatoes  or  fruit  in  their  fathers' 
fields,  and  by  better  cultural  methods  to  surpass  their  fathers  as  pro- 
ducers. It  has  been  found  difficult  to  give  the  city  boys  much  to  do, 
so  it  was  decided  to  start  prizes  for  the  best  vegetable  garden  and  the 


—  14  — 

best,  most  artistic  landscape  work  around  the  home.  We  are  fortunate 
in  having  some  fine  parks.  Some  advice  was  given  in  regard  to  improve- 
ment which  aided  materially  in  bettering  their  conditions. 


Spraying  Demonstration.  Meeting  for  farmers,  held  under  the  direction  of  the 
Agricultural  Department  of  the  South  Haven  (Mich.)  High  School.  Professor 
O.   K.  White,   of  the  Michigan  Agricultural  College,   spraying. 


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Farmers  in  attendance   at  a  demonstration  meeting  held  under  the  direction   of 
the   Agricultural    Department   of   the    South   Haven    (Mich.)    High   School. 

' '  In  order  to  make  the  influence  of  the  high  school  felt  I  go  out  to  the 
country  schools  and  give  some  help  to  the  teachers  who  are  teaching 


—  15  — 


agriculture  in  the  eighth  grade,  lectures  on  seed  testing,  corn  raising, 
and  home  improvement  being  given.  I  have  never  told  the  farmer  he 
needs  the  agricultural  knowledge,  but  have. visited  with  him  and  talked 
over  his  work  and  troubles.  This  is  where  the  half  day  off  is  valuable. 
This  seems  to  me  to  be  the  proper  way  in  which  the  farmer  may  keep  his 
self  respect  and  you  yours  in  his  sight.  Make  him  feel  that  he  wants  it, 
not  that  we  feel  he  is  ignorant,  needs  it,  and  we  must  force  it  on  him  to 
make  him  get  it. 

"This  summer  I  am  planning  the  formation  of  more  alfalfa  clubs, 
corn  and  potato  clubs,  to  stimulate  interest.  We  are  planning  to'  make 
soil  tests,  investigate  the  drainage  of 
the  farm  and  in  certain  cases  will 
suggest  a  new  rotation  of  crops. 
Country  home  improvement,  espe- 
cially along  the  lines  of  sewage  dis- 
posal, location  of  barns  and  fences, 
will  also  be  taken  up.  We  are  now 
giving  demonstrations  for  raising 
alfalfa,  selecting  of  plots  or  fields, 
fruit  spraying,  thinning  of  fruit, 
insect   control,   and  packing. 

"We  have  a  horticultural  society 
which  meets  every  two  weeks.  We 
discuss  various  problems,  such  as 
farm  accounting,  marketing  of  fruit, 
packing,  spraying,  drainage  and  acid 
soils.  We  induced  men  to  come 
from  Chicago,  who  were  buyers  of 
fruit,  to  give  their  demands  and 
what  the  people  want  in  quality  and 
pack.  This  society  has  done  more 
good  than  perhaps  any  other  single 
factor. 

"The  demonstration  work  where 
a  thing  is  actually  performed  before 
farmers,  or  where  one  farmer  raises 
alfalfa  and  then  gives  results  to  the 
meetings  of  the  society,  or  to  per- 
sons visiting  his  farm,  has  proved  to 
be  very  successful.  We  have  three 
meetings  of  the  farmers  during  the  summer  to  discuss  problems  that 
may  arise. 

'  •  I  believe  in  interesting  the  boys  and  girls  not  in  school  in  producing 
crops,  competing  with  their  fathers  or  introducing  new  crops,  replan- 
ning  farm  buildings  and  fields  and  getting  them  interested  in  farm 
literature. 

"Teachers  in  the  country  schools  do  not  understand  the  agricultural 
books  like  Warren's  and  similar  texts.  Here  is  an  opportunity  to 
explain,  outline  experiments,  and  help  them  in  answering  questions 
asked  by  boys  better  informed  in  agriculture  than  they,  as  agriculture 
in  the  eighth  grade  is  compulsory  in  this  state.  I  have  organized  junior 
clubs  in  the  schools.     The  purpose  of  these  clubs  is  to  form  a  social 


ANNOUNCEMENT 

OF 

Short  Term  Course 

OF  THE 

VOCATIONAL  DEPARTMENT 

OF  THE 

Milaca  Associated 
Agricultural  School 

NOV   6.  1911  TO  MARCH  22,  1912 

Agriculture 
Manual  Training 
Domestic  Science 
Farmers  Week 


Announcement  of  short  courses  at  the 
Milaca  (Minn.)  High  School.  In  this 
circular  a  Farmers'  Week  and  a  school 
exhibit  are  also  announced,  for  the  last 
week  of  the  short  course. 


—  16 


Amioitiieeiiieiil 


or 


nucleus,  and  each  boy  carries  out  some  project  such  as  raising  corn,  and 
makes  an  annual  report  of  it.  I  also  give  them  lists  of  bulletins  useful 
in  their  work.  I  visit  these  clubs,  and  if  the  boys  have  any  questions, 
I  try  to  answer  them  and  give  them  any  information  or  help  I  possibly 
can. 

"I  have  just  started  an  experiment  in  a  field  near  the  city  where  a 
boy  is  going  to  raise  alfalfa  and  vetch  to  demonstrate  for  farmers  enter- 
ing the  city.     Another  boy  is  to  raise  eggplants  and  potatoes. 

"We  are  now  working  for  a  course  in  farm  accounting  in  the  high 
school,  one  of  the  greatest  necessities  of  the  farmer.  We  intend  to  make 
a  practical  course,  open  to  any  one  in  school  or  out. ' ' — Charles  N.  Frey, 
South  Haven  (Mich.)  High  School. 

"We  have  a  grange  here  and  in  connection  with  it  I  have  organized 

a  club,  the  purpose  of  which  is 
to  create  a  friendly  strife  in 
the  production  of  good  seed  by 
means  of  selection,  and  this  is 
working  out  finely.  At  the 
same  time  the  boys  are  not 
only  benefiting  themselves  ec- 
onomically, but  are  learning 
that  farming  is  a  science.  All 
these  things  tend  to  keep  them 
on  the  farm.  Agricultural  in- 
struction in  a  rural  community 
should  tend  toward  this,  and 
when  it  does  not,  it  is  missing 
the  purpose  for  which  it  is  in- 
tended. 

"I  publish  an  article  at  in- 
tervals in  the  local  paper  ad- 
dressed to  the  farmers.  In  this 
I  try  to  discuss  the  problems 
of  the  locality  in  such  a  way 
that  the  farmer  can  gain  some 
economic  benefit  by  reading  it, 
such  topics  as  these :  ;  The  mix- 
ing of  fertilizers  on  the  farm'; 
'Keeping  of  farm  cost  ac- 
counts'; 'Directions  for  prun- 
ing and  spraying';  'The  neces- 
sity of  good  seed  selection'; 
'The  improvement  of  the  farm 
pasture,'  etc.  I  have  received 
many  letters  of  appreciation 
from  the  farmers  in  regard  to 
the  articles,  and  inquiries  re- 
lating to  other  farm  problems. 


ltoelit»wlc»r 

Farniepw'> 
Sltord 

mid 

Corn  Nltow 


•1  miliary  2&th 

February   1st 

1913 


K«»ehf*Ml«>r.  >B  iuiit>NO<n 


Cover  page  o^  Announcement  of  Rochester 
(Minn.)  High  School  Farmers'  Short  Course 
and  Corn  Show.  The  program  and  list  of 
instructors,  including  three  persons  from  the 
State  Agricultural  College,  is  given  within.  A 
list  of  premiums  tor  the  Corn  Show  is  also 
given. 


"Another  way  in  which  the  instructor  can  help  is  in  the  holding  of 
meetings  with  the  rural  school  teachers.     We  have  done  this  here  and  in 


—  17  — 

this  way  I  get  them  to  teach  those  things  that  will  help  to  prepare  pupils 
for  my  work  when  they  enter  the  high  school. 

"As  for  those  above  school  age,  if  there  is  no  local  grange  the 
intructor  should  organize  an  agricultural  club  of  some  kind  and  have  it 
meet  at  a  time  suited  to  the  majority  of  the  local  people,  and  in  this 
bring  up  and  find  some  solution  of  the  local  problems.  To-day  there 
are  in  every  community  some  things  that  are  radically  wrong  and  which 
may  be  righted  if  approached  (not  attacked)  in  the  proper  manner." — 
R.  S.  Jeffers,  North  Cohocton  (N.  Y.)  High  School. 

"We  have  a  demonstration  plot  on  which  twenty-four  experiments, 
including  fertility  and  cropping  system  demonstrations,  are  carried  on. 
The  results  obtained  will  be  made  known  to  our  patrons  and  people  of 
the  district  by  bulletin  or  through  the  local  paper. 

"We  have  planned  a  small  nursery  in  which  we  shall  grow  Catalpa 
speciosa  stock  to  be  distributed  free  among  the  farmers.  Later  we 
shall  add  fruit  trees. 

' '  From  time  to  time  we  publish  articles  in  the  local  paper,  which  has 
a  rather  wide  circulation.  These  articles  are  usually  written  by  the 
students  in  the  agricultural  class,  following  out  the  line  of  work  being 
pursued  in  class  work  at  the  time. 

"We  have  taken  advantage  of  the  farmers'  institute  illustrated 
lectures  sent  out,  upon  request,  by  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  at 
Washington,  D.  C.  Such  lectures,  with  an  accompanying  program,  are 
given  free,  the  people  of  the  community  being  invited  to  attend. 

" '  Interest  has  been  created  in  bringing  to  the  school  exhibits  of  farm 
products,  for  friendly  competition.  We  propose  making  more  of  this 
next  year,  calling  on  the  merchants  for  small  prizes,  and  holding  a 
farmers'  day  in  connection  with  the  contest. 

"We  make  free  use  of  the  Babcock  tester,  testing  milk  from  any  part 
of  the  region.  In  the  school  we  also  conduct  seed  corn  germination  tests 
and  send  out  information  for  the  conducting  of  home  tests. 

"In  order  to  reach  students  not  in  school  regularly  we  organize  a 
short  course  of  six  weeks,  to  fit  in  between  fall  and  spring  work.  It  is 
our  intention  next  year  to  wind  this  up  with  a  week's  instruction  for 
farmers  by  the  two  or  three  instructors  sent  out  from  the  state  school 
to  do  extension  work. 

"In  order  to  secure  another  method  of  approaching  the  farmer,  we 
are  organizing  a  free  township  library,  to  be  housed  at  least  temporarily 
in  the  high  school  building.  Funds  approaching  three  thousand  dollars 
have  been  raised  by  popular  subscription.  The  library  will  include  a 
number  of  books  on  agricultural  subjects,  to  be  used  at  will  by  the 
patrons.  In  connection  with  the  library  plan  we  propose  to  furnish 
books  for  a  circulating  library  for  the  country  schools.  Thus  we  will 
get  our  hold  there.  Our  high  school  graduates  are  rapidly  filling  the 
schools  of  the  neighborhood,  in  this  way  aiding  us. 

"I  am  encouraging  the  practice  of  small  experiments  in  connection 
with  the  regular  summer  work,  such  as  fertilizer  tests  and  cultivation 
methods  for  the  potato  or  the  tomato,  also  the  corn  contests  promoted 
by  our  congressmen  and  the  publishers  of  the  agricultural  magazines." 
— 0.  C.  Hostetler,  Neoga  (111.)  Township  High  School. 


18  — 


' "  This  high  school  is  in  the  county  which  has  an  agricultural  expert, 
and  the  high  school  instructor  in  agriculture  and  the  county  expert 
co-operate  to  a  large  extent  in  doing  extension  work. 

"The  one  thing  which  we 


Seed  Grain  Price  List 


FOR  FARMERS  OF 


KANDIYOHI  COUNTY 


MINN. 


M 


3D 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE 
AGRICULTURAL  DEPARTMENT 


WILLMAR  SCHOOLS 


O.    A.    FOSTER.    3uPt»INTfNDtNT 

C.  U.  MCNELLY,  AoriCultukal  DmccTOD 


have  emphasized  more  than 
anything  else  in  the  line  of 
extension  work  is  farmers' 
meetings,  held  in  the  various 
rural  schoolhouses  throughout 
the  county.  Six  months  ago 
Grant  County  had  but  one 
farmers'  club.  After  a  win- 
ter of  active  agitation  it  now 
has  thirteen  healthy  farmers' 
clubs,  holding  meetings  once 
every  month.  After  organiz- 
ing a  farmers'  club  we  al- 
ways make  it  a  point  to  be 
present  at  the  first  four  or 
five  meetings,  at  least,  to  help 
out     in     the     programs.     In 

Title  page  of  List  of  Local  Farmers  Having  fopf  if  -j^  nonallv  tippp^atv  tn 
Seed  Grain  for  Sale.  Samples  of  the  seed  tested  ldLl'  ll  1S  UbUdliy  necessdiy  to 
by  the  Willmar  (Minn.)  High  School  agricultural   put  On  the  whole  program  the 

epar  men  .  £rgt    ^^    meetings    till    the 

farmers  themselves  begin  to  realize  what  such  a  club  can  mean  to  their 
community.  From  the  very  start,  however,  we  always  try  to  get  them 
to  put  something  on  the  program,  as  we  find  they  will  take  a  greater 
interest  in  the  club  under  those  conditions  and  consequently  will  derive 
greater  benefit  from  it.  If  nothing  else,  the  school  children  can 
usually  be  induced  to  sing  a  song  or  two. 

' '  A  lantern  with  an  acetylene  burner,  the  gas  being  supplied  from  an 
ordinary  automobile  prestolite  tank,  furnishes  excellent  light  for  pro- 
jecting pictures  on  the  screen,  and  we  find  that  by  using  this  we  can 
make  the  programs  not  only  very  entertaining  but  also  more  instruc- 
tive than  a  mere  unillustrated  talk  would  be.  The  domestic  science 
teacher,  who  has  assisted  us  very  ably  in  this  work,  also  usually  gives 
several  musical  selections  in  addition  to  her  regular  talk  or  demonstra- 
tion. Our  main  purpose  is  to  give  instruction,  but  we  find  that  if  we 
can  provide  some  entertainment  at  the  same  time  and  give  the  more 
serious  part  of  the  program  in  an  interesting  way  our  work  will  be 
more  effective  and  furthermore  we  will  get  larger  crowds.  The  average 
attendance  at  these  meetings  is  about  50  to  60,  but  we  have  had  as  high 
as  115  at  a  single  rural  schoolhouse  meeting.  During  the  past  winter 
the  agricultural  instructor  gave  talks  at  some  forty  of  these  meetings. 
While  the  agricultural  instructor  attended  nearly  all  the  meetings  held, 
the  preliminary  arrangements,  such  as  getting  the  consent  of  the  school 
board  to  use  the  schoolhouse,  advertising  the  meeting,  etc.,  were  done 
almost  entirely  by  the  county  expert,  who  is  able  to  devote  all  his  time 
to  extension  work. 


—  19  — 


LIST  OF 


Purebred   Live   Stock 
FOR  SALE 

BY  MEMBERS  OP  THK 

Kandiyohi  County  L,ive  Stock 
Breeder's  Association 


'THE  SIRE  IS  MORE  THAN  HALF 
THE  HERD" 


OEFICERS 

J.  S.  ANDERSON.  PRES 
S     B     GLADES     VICE  PRES 

C.  I_  McNELLY.  SEC 
JOHN  SWENSON,  TREAS 


'*  Perhaps  I  ought  to  explain  how  we  get  our  slides  for  the  lantern. 
Nearly  all  the  large  manufacturing  establishments  dealing  with  agri- 
cultural material  have  slides  which  they  are  glad  to  loan  out  for  such 
purposes,  but  we  feel  better  satisfied 
with  the  slides  we  have  made  ourselves, 
of  which  we  have  about  fifty  now  and 
are  rapidly  adding  to  the  list.  When- 
ever we  go  out  in  the  country  to  visit 
farmers  we  always  carry  a  camera  along 
and  when  we  come  across  something  that 
illustrates  either  some  good  or  bad  farm 
practice  we  take  a  picture  of  it  and 
then  make  a  lantern  slide  from  the  film 
at  the  high  school.  We  make  the  slides 
ourselves,  as  we  can  do  so  at  a  small 
expense,  and  having  slides  made  is  al- 
most a  prohibitive  undertaking  when  the 
amount  of  money  for  such  purposes  is 
limited. 

"I  have  explained  this  farmers'  club 

work  somewhat  in  detail,  as  I  feel  it  is 

one  of  the  most  important  lines  of  work 

the  agricultural  teacher  can  engage  in. 

Anions'  some   of  our   other   activities   T     Title  Pa^e  of  List  of  Purebred  Live 
j^mung    surne    u±    uui    uuiei     don  vines    J.   gtock    fQr    gale    by    Local    Farmers> 

will  merelv  mention  a  boys  seed  corn  with  a  discussion  of  the  value  of  a 
gathering  '  contest,  financed  by  local  aS^ 
men;  a  county  acre  yield  corn-growing  mar  (Minn.)  Hl^h  School. 
contest  with  $100  in  prizes,  open  to  everybody;  identifying  weeds  and 
weed  seeds;  testing  milk  and  cream  for  fat  content;  writing  farm 
articles  of  local  and  seasonal  application  for  the  local  paper  and  testing 
grain,  grass  and  corn  for  germination,  especially  the  latter.  During 
the  past  winter  the  agricultural  instructor  tested  something  like  10,000 
ears  of  seed  corn,  but  this  is  a  line  of  work  which  we  are  going  to  dis- 
courage next  year,  as  it  takes  a  lot  of  time  and  is  something  the  farmers 
can  just  as  well  do  themselves." — L.  A.  Henke,  Elbow  Lake  (Minn.) 
High  School. 

"We  have  several  farmers'  clubs  in  adjoining  school  districts  as  well 
as  one  in  our  school  district.  I  have  gone  out  to  several  club  meetings 
and  given  talks  during  the  year.  The  club  of  our  own  district  devoted 
two  or  three  meetings  during  the  past  winter  to  the  need  of  legislation. 
At  one  meeting  we  had  our  representative  in  the  state  legislature  here 
and  called  his  attention  to  desirable  legislation,  such  as  freight  rates, 
poor  coal,  good  roads,  seed  laws,  increasing  of  state  aid  to  agricultural 
high  schools  in  the  state,  and  so  on.  Some  of  these  questions  have  been 
brought  up  before  our  legislature  and  bills  have  been  drafted  for  some 
of  them.  Although  these  things  are  not  directly  connected  with  what 
is  known  as  "scientific  agriculture,"  still  they  are  of  interest  and 
benefit  to  the  farmer  and  if  the  farmer  can  be  helped  by  this,  it  is  going 
to  increase  his  faith  in  his  club  and  make  him  more  wide  awake." — 
O.  B.  Jesness,  Winthrop  (Minn.)  High  School. 


—  20  — 

' l  Our  most  extensive  extension  work  is  in  the  form  of  lectures  given 
by  members  of  our  state  college  faculty  or  leading  farmers.  It  stimu- 
lates interest  in  agriculture  and  also  in  the  school.  One  man  said  to 
me,  'I  have  no  children  and  have  kicked  on  the  school  tax,  but  I  will 
not  do  so  any  more.'  The  work  has  been  the  cause  of  many  farmers 
coming  to  the  high  school  instructor  to  get  milk  tested  or  to  ask  ques- 
tions or  to  get  a  ration  balanced." — C.  L.  Nash,  Union  City  (Mich.) 
High  School. 

"lam  directing  a  boys '  agricultural  club  in  the  county  and  we  have 
annual  exhibits  of  produce  which  the  boy  must  have  produced  himself. 
Prizes  are  given  which  heretofore  have  been  donated  by  the  local 
merchants,  but  in  the  future  I  shall  make  an  effort  to  have  them  con- 
tributed by  the  farmers  themselves." — A.  C.  McVittie,  St.  John's 
(Mich.)  High  School. 

"We  are  conducting  a  farmers'  club  which  meets  every  Saturday 
throughout  the  winter  and  at  which  subjects  of  agricultural  interest  are 
discussed  by  the  farmers  of  the  community  and  occasionally  we  invite 
in  an  expert  along  some  certain  line.  We  also  take  up  a  study  of  the 
proposed  measures  before  our  legislature  and  keep  our  representatives 
acquainted  with  our  desires. 

''Every  winter  a  farmers'  short  course  is  conducted  in  the  agricul- 
tural room  of  the  schoolhouse  for  one  week,  for  the  farmers  of  the  com- 
munity. The  agricultural  college  does  this  as  a  part  of  their  extension 
program,  furnishing  the  lecturers  for  this  course.  A  local  fair  of  large 
community  interest  has  grown  out  of  a  boys'  and  girls'  corn  club  that 
was  started  two  years  ago.  An  attendance  of  over  5,000  was  reported 
at  the  one-day  fair  last  year." — C.  S.  Langdon,  Watervliet  (Mich.) 
High  School. 

"One  line  of  work  is  the  looking  up  of  good  herd  bulls  for  those 
desiring  them,  learning  the  names  of  reliable  breeders  that  have  stock 
for  sale  of  the  breed  desired,  and  putting  them  in  touch  with  the 
farmer. 

"Another  line  of  extension  work  is  the  testing  of  seed  corn  for  the 
farmers  by  the  ear  method,  and  getting  them  interested  in  doing  their 
own  testing  at  home  by  this  method. 

' '  On  our  school  grounds  we  have  an  acre  patch  of  alfalfa,  seeded  last 
June,  which  is  in  a  very  thrifty  condition.  I  have  also  gotten  two 
farmers  to  put  in  patches  of  alfalfa,  one  acre  each  last  year,  which  is  in 
good  condition  this  year.  Alfalfa  has  not  been  in  very  good  favor  in 
this  community. 

' '  Farmers '  clubs  are  a  great  success  in  many  parts  of  Minnesota,  and 
we  are  getting  a  start  at  it  here,  usually  the  farmers  of  one  country 
school  district  forming  the  best-sized  club.  They  are  organized  for 
social,  educational  and  pecuniary  benefit.  Breeders'  clubs,  shippers' 
clubs,  warehouse  clubs,  etc.,  all  appeal  to  the  farmer. " — A.  F.  Laurence, 
Norwood-Young  America  (Minn.)  Consolidated  Schools 


—  21 


AFTER  THE   HOLIDAYS,  THEN  WHAT 


OF    COURSE! 


JANUARY  6,  7,  8,  9  AND  10 
20  -  LECTURES-  20 

Four  Daily  at  High  School  Hall.  9:00  a.  m.  and  1:30  p.  m. 

3    -    SPEAKERS    -    3 

Mr.  W-  F.  Raven  of  the  M.  A.  C.    Topic — Livestock. 

Mr.  F.  W.  Wilken  of  South  Haven.    Topic — Horticulture. 

Prof.  J.  O.  Linton  of  the  M.  A.  C.    Topic— Poultry. 

PROGRAM 

MONDAY     A.  M.     Improvement  of  Livestock.  PM.     Feed*  and  Feeding. 

Orchard  Planting  Method,  of  Packing. 

P.  M.     Feed*  and  Feeding. 

Cultivation  and  Fertilization  _. .. .___  .  .,       .......  .  „  .  _      .         _ 

THURSDAY- A.  M.     Silo»  and  Silage.  Poultry  Breeding. 

TUESDAY  -  A.  M.     Pure  Bred  Sire  and  Pure  Bred  Herd*.  P  M.     Feed*  and  Feeding.       Poultry  Feeding 

Pruning. 

P.  M.     Feed*  and  Feeding.         Spraying.  FRIDAY—  A.  M.     Farmer*  Cboote  Topic.         Care  of  Poultry. 

WEDNESDAY- A.  M.    Cow  Care  and  Cow  Comfort.  PM      Feed,  and  Feeding  [.ummary]. 

Grading  of  Fruit  Poultry  Judging. 

Exhibit      of      Farm      Crops      in      Connection     with    School. 

NO  ADfllSSION.  Bring  Crop  Specimens 

Poultry  Show  ,n  Town  the  Same  Week. 

Announcement  of  Farmers'  Week,  Traverse  City  (Mich.)  High  School. 


—  22  — 

"At  the  outset  we  found  there  were  two  methods  of  arousing  the 
farmer's  interest  in  the  agricultural  department  of  our  high  school. 
The  first  method  was  by  holding  farmers'  meetings  in  the  rural  school 
houses ;  and  the  second  method  was  by  visiting  the  farmers  individually. 

The  visits  to  the  individual  farmer  were  frequently  the  result  of 
discussions  which  occurred  at  the  schoolhouse  meetings.  Following  a 
lecture  on  such  a  subject  as  *  Treating  Grain  to  Prevent  Smut'  or  'Com- 
mon Diseases  of  Live  Stock,'  a  farmer  frequently  asked  for  indi- 
vidual help  in  such  matters.  After  the  confidence  of  a  farmer  was 
obtained  by  helping  him  treat  his  grain  for  smut  or  by  helping  him 
remedy  some  condition  in  his  live  stock,  it  was  usually  an  easy  matter 
to  get  him  to  try  some  other  progressive  measure,  such  as  individual 
cow  testing  and  feeding  balanced  rations. 

At  the  present  time  we  are  making  individual  cow  tests  for  eleven 
farmers.  Some  of  our  farmers  are  sufficiently  familiar  with  the  keep- 
ing of  records  to  make  their  own  calculations.  We  make  all  calculations 
for  those  who  are  not  so  well  posted.     The  farmer  is  furnished  with 


Short  course  boys  in  Agricultural  Laboratory,   Dassel    (Minn.)    High   School. 


milk  sheets  and  with  the  proportions  for  a  balanced  ration  to  be  made 
up  from  the  feeds  on  his  farm  as  nearly  as  possible.  The  farmer  sends 
in  to  the  school  each  month  a  sample  of  milk  from  each  cow,  together 
with  a  milk  sheet  showing  the  weights  of  milk  produced  by  each  cow 
upon  at  least  three  days  distributed  throughout  the  month.  From  the 
average  daily  yield  of  milk  and  the  per  cent  of  butter  fat,  the  output 
of  each  cow  is  determined.  After  the  end  of  each  month  a  statement  is 
sent  to  the  farmer  showing  the  number  of  pounds  of  milk,  pounds  of 
butter  fat,  and  the  value  of  butter  fat  produced  by  each  cow  in  his  herd. 
A  contest  conducted  in  co-operation  with  the  state  food  and  dairy 
department  has  been  a  means  of  increasing  interest  in  better  methods 
of  dairying.     This  contest  is  for  adult  farmers.     It  consists  of  keeping 


—  23  — 

individual  cow  records  and  writing  an  essay  each  month  on  some  phase 
of  dairying.  The  farmers  have  shown  a  lasting  interest  in  this  contest. 
Other  ways  in  which  we  have  been  able  to  serve  the  adult  farmers 
are  the  following: 

(a)   Germination  tests  of  seed  corn. 

(&)   Selection  of  seed  corn  for  breeding  plats. 

(c)  Tests  of  small  seeds  to  determine  purity  and  germinability. 

(d)  Tests  of  skim  milk  to  determine  skimming  efficiency  of  farm 

separators. 

The  most  effective  form  of  extension  work  conducted  with  the  boys 
of  the  community  has  been  in  the  form  of  a  corn-growing  contest.  In 
the  spring  of  1912  we  enrolled  eighteen  boys  in  the  state  acre-yield  corn 
contest.  These  boys  obtained  yields  ranging  between  65  and  104  bushels 
per  acre.  The  results  of  this  contest  have  stimulated  the  adult  farmers 
to  a  greater  interest  in  corn  growing. 

WORK  PROPOSED  FOR  THE  FUTURE. 

(a)  Commercial  fertilizer  tests  on  the  different  types  of  soil  in  the 

locality. 

(b)  Installation  of  a  plant  at  the  central  school  for  preservative  treat- 

ment of  fence  posts. 

(c)  VarV^ty  tests  of  oats,  wheat,  and  barley  on  the  farms  of  the 

locality. 

(d)  Lectures  and  demonstrations  in  the  rural  schools.     For  this  pur- 

pose a  stereopticon  and  a  motion  picture  machine  will  be  used." 
— L.  P.  Doyle,  Dassel  (Minn.)  High  School 

"The  agricultural  department  of  the  Bemidji  high  school  has  given 
considerable  time  and  attention  to  community  and  extension  work  dur- 
ing the  two  years  since  it  was  organized,  and,  on  the  whole,  with  very 
gratifying  results. 

' '  Our  extension  work  may  be  classified  under  four  heads : 

"1.  Educational  work  with  pupils  attending  rural  schools,  which  con- 
sists of  class  work  (lectures)  and  desk  work  (laboratory  work)  weekly, 
semi-monthly,  or  monthly  in  rural  schools  within  a  radius  of  8  or  10 
miles  from  the  central  high  school. 

"2.  Summer  work  with  children  of  school  age  in  growing  contests  in 
corn,  potatoes,  tomatoes,  etc.,  on  plots  of  definite  size:  corn,  1  acre; 
potatoes,  I  acre;  tomatoes,  1/20  acre. 

"3.  Farmers'  institute  work  in  co-operation  with  the  state  institute 
men. 

"4.  'Farmers'  organization'  work.  Here  one  should  be  careful  not 
to  overreach.  Responsibility  in  this  line  should  be  avoided  especially 
in  organizations  involving  capital,  for  circumstances  may  easily  arise 
where  one  of  these  organizations  may  monopolize  the  time  and  energy 
of  the  whole  department.  Where  a  committee  has  implicit  confidence 
in  a  man  they  are  quick  to  load  upon  him  both  responsibility  and  work 
that  properly  belongs  elsewhere.  Social  and  educational  organizations 
can  be  safely  undertaken,  but  as  to  industrial  organizations,  such  as 
co-operative  creameries,  marketing  associations,  insurance  associations, 
etc.,  the  department  should  beware  of  any  closer  relations  than  those 
of  a  purely  advisory  nature.     Another  line  of  extension  work  that  may 


—  24  — 

properly  be  undertaken  with  adult  farmers  is  the  personal  consultation 
work.  We  know  of  no  line  of  work  where  the  right  man  can  be  of 
more  immediate  benefit  and  do  a  more  lasting  service  both  to  the  indi- 
vidual citizen  and  the  community  as  a  whole  than  in  such  personal  work 
with  the  head  of  the  family  at  home.  The  following  are  a  few  sugges- 
tive problems  that  may  be  taken  up :  home  improvements  in  sanitation 
and  practical  conveniences;  beautifying  homesteads;  farm  drainage; 
systems  of  cropping,  'etc.  As  far  as  possible,  the  head  of  the  agri- 
cultural department  of  the  central  school  should  be  conversant  with 
the  needs  and  problems  of  every  farm  home  in  his  neighborhood." — 
Otto  I.  Bergh,  Bemidji  (Minn.)  High  School. 


Summer   school   class   of  rural   school   teachers   inspecting  silo. 
(Minn.)   High  School. 


Bemidji 


"I  give  talks  on  agricultural  subjects  at  country  schoolhouses  during 
the  winter  months  when  the  farmer  is  not  very  busy.  I  always  have 
a  large  crowd  of  farmers.  At  some  of  the  meetings  I  try  to  have  the 
country  teacher  give  a  small  program — a  scheme  to  get  the  parents  out. 
And  many  a  time  I  have  taken  the  high  school  boys '  quartet  along.  At 
these  meetings,  I  illustrate  and  demonstrate  seed  testing  and  milk  test- 
ing. Often  have  I  tested  milk  up  to  12  o'clock,  and  then  afterwards 
driven  home  seven  to  eight  miles.  But  in  talking  to  the  farmers  one 
must  be  careful  to  approach  them  the  right  way. 

"I  have  tested  every  farmer's  seed  corn  this  spring  and  last  spring 
who  brought  it  in  to  me.  I  gave  every  farmer's  corn  the  individual 
ear  test,  and  charged  nothing  for  the  work.  All  that  I  ask  the  farmers 
is  to  bring  and  get  the  corn.  Through  my  efforts  we  obtained  six  men 
to  come  here  for  three  days  to  talk  to  the  farmers  on  the  different 
agricultural  subjects.  The  attendance  averaged  nearly  one  hundred 
farmers.  At  present  I  am  pushing  the  boys'  one-acre  corn  contest 
among  the  farmers'  boys.     Last  fall  I  had  a  seed  corn  gathering  con- 


25  — 


FOR    CREAMERY     PATRONS 


■ON- 


TESTING 


•CONDUCTED   BY. 


WILL   FORBES 

of  Department  of  Agriculture.  Washington,   D.  C,  under 
auspices  of  Director  of  Agriculture  of  Glencoe  Public  Schools. 


DATES  OF  MEETINGS: 


Olencoe  Central  Creamery 
City  Hall.  Glenooe.Tues.,Oct.  8th.  2:00  p.  m. 

Olenooe  South  Station 

School  House,  Dist.  45.  Sibley  Co..  Tuesday, 

October  8th,  8:00  p.  m. 

Plato    Creamery 
Visage     Hall.    Wed..    Oct. '  9th.    2:30    p.    m. 

Bergen   Creamery 

School    House     in    District     19,     Wednesday. 
October  9th.  8:00  p.  m. 


Sumter  Creamery 

Woodman  Hall.  Thurs..  Oct.  I  Oth,  230   p.  m. 

Glencoe  West  Station 

School     House     in     District     74,     Thursday. 

October  I  Oth.  8:00  p.  m. 

Biscay  and  Lake  Marlon  Creamery 

Biscay  School    House   in    District    17     Friday. 
October  I  Ith,  2:30  p.  m. 

Koniska    Station 
District  6,  Friday.   October    1  Ith,  8:00  p.    m. 


Do  Your  Cows  Pay? 

Announcement  of  meetings  for  creamery  patrons  on  cow  testing. 


—  26 


test  in  which  thirty  farm  boys  competed,  the  business  men  giving  the 
premiums. 

"For  the  boys  and  girls  not  attending  school  we  have  contests,  as 
corn  growing,  tomato  growing  contests,  etc.  Have  them  form  library 
societies  and  have  them  meet  at  regular  intervals.  Encourage  them  to 
stay  on  the  farm.  Conduct  a  three  months'  short  course  during  the 
winter  months  and  encourage  them  to  attend.  We  give  one  here  every 
winter.  The  domestic  science  teacher  has  given  a  few  talks  at  the 
country  schools,  and  we  have  invited  all  the  women  to  the  school,  where 
they  were  served  by  the  high  school  cooking  class." — Albert  Weiss, 
Granite  Falls  (Minn.)  High  School. 

' '  During  the  last  two  years  the  high  school  has  tested  230  bushels  of 
seed  corn.     Of  this  amount  more  than  100  bushels  was  brought  in  by 


ssBHJsLwn 


Seed  corn  test,   3,600   ears.      Fergus  Falls    (Minn.)    High   School. 

farmers.  We  tested  corn  free  for  one  year  in  order  to  demonstrate  the 
value  of  it,  after  which  a  charge  of  fifty  cents  per  bushel  was  made. 
The  fact  that  this  charge  was  made  did  not  materially  reduce  the 
amount  of  corn  brought  in  this  year.  We  have  many  calls  from  farmers 
to  have  the  purity  of  their  seeds  determined.  We  usually  have  the 
high  school  students  make  these  tests,  but  the  results  are  always  verified 
before  they  are  sent  out. 

' '  This  year  we  started  testing  cows  for  farmers.  Our  plan  is  to  have 
the  farmer  enter  in  an  agreement  with  the  school  in  which  he  obligates 
himself  to  buy  a  milk  scale,  sample  bottles,  and  weigh  the  milk  daily, 
and  once  each  month  bring  a  sample  to  the  high  school  where  the  butter 
fat  test  is  made  for  him.  We  started  with  fifty-five  cows  and  in  three 
months  the  wTork  had  grown  so  that  more  than  two  hundred  cows  are 
now  tested  monthly. 

' '  Each  year  we  have  a  week  for  farmers  and  their  families.  This  is 
a  school  rather  than  an  institute.     Definite  lines  of  study  are  taken  up. 


—  27  — 

This  year  we  limit  ourselves  to  corn  and  dairying.  The  instructors  for 
the  week  are  sent  out  by  the  extension  division  of  the  state  university." 
E.  Metzger,  Fergus  Falls  (Minn.)  High  School. 


"The  work  that  can  be  carried  on  in  any  community  would  be  milk 
testing,  encouraging  and  showing  the  farmers  that  certain  cows  are 
*  boarders, '  tuberculin  testing,  especially  where  milk  is  sold  by  the 
quart,  feeding  experiments,  growing  of  clover,  alfalfa  or  leguminous 
crops,  better  corn,  drainage,  liming  soils,  intelligent  buying  and  use  of 
commercial  fertilizers,  breeding  of  animals,  spraying  of  fruits,  treating 
grains  i'or  smut,  and  management  of  farms.  Of  course  the  above  can 
not  all  be  accomplished  in  one  year,  as  the  farmer  must  be  shown  before 
he  will  change.  I  find  that  the  farmers  have  had  too  much  advice  from 
the  'platform'  and  are  demanding  us  to  give  facts  and  figures.  I  have 
been  here  two  years  and  now  my  work  in  the  community  is  taking  root. 
I  have  men  doing  some  of  all  of  the  kinds  of  work  I  enumerated,  so  that  I 
know  it  can  be  done." — T.  M.  Avery,  Belmont  (N.  Y.)  High  School. 

"At  Grafton,  the  agricultural  teacher  is  hired  for  twelve  months,  with 
four  weeks '  vacation.  His  work  is  arranged  so  that  all  of  his  laboratory 
and  recitation  work  comes  in  the  morning.  This  leaves  his  afternoons 
free  for  work  among  the  neighboring  farmers.  It  is  well  understood 
that  he  is  to  be  busy  all  of  the  time.  Every  half  day  must  count  in 
some  definite  way  for  the  good  of  the  school  and  for  the  erection  of 
higher  ideals  in  agriculture  in  this  part  of  the  state.  For  example, 
during  his  travels  this  fall  in  this  neighborhood  he  made  some  fifteen 
short  talks  in  as  many  country  schoolhouses — talks  which  aroused  an 
interest  in  his  subject  and  drew  the  attention  of  these  communities 
toward  the  high  school  as  a  center  of  valuable  information. 

"Whenever  he  is  asked,  our  agricultural  man  gives  advice  on  a  great 
variety  of  subjects  to  the  farmers  as  he  goes  about  among  them,  and 
very  often  they  come  to  the  high  school  for  it  also.  We  have  bought  a 
number  of  dairy  cows  for  them  in  this  way.  We  judged  a  young 
Holstein  bull  which  had  just  been  bought.  We  selected  breeding 
heifers  from  a  number  of  dairy  herds.  We  selected  suitable  plots  for 
alfalfa,  potatoes,  etc.,  on  a  number  of  farms,  and  helped  plan  definite 
crop  rotations.  We  helped  in  the  planning  and  construction  of  several 
silos  also. 

"  It  is  the  policy  of  the  school  to  co-operate  in  every  way  possible  with 
all  other  agencies  in  the  community  which  are  trying  to  forward  the 
cause  of  good  farming.  Our  local  veterinarian  calls  upon  us  for  help 
frequently,  and  it  is  gladly  and  freely  given.  The  Department  of  Agri- 
culture has  stationed  a  federal  dairyman  in  this  county,  and  we  are  in 
very  close  co-operation  with  him.  Our  speakers  accompany  him,  upon 
request,  to  the  meetings  he  calls  throughout  this  county,  and  he  goes 
with  us  wThen  we  give  our  extension  programs. 

"We  are  holding  extension  meetings  frequently  in  the  neighboring 
towns  and  schoolhouses.  In  the  first  five  meetings  some  two  hundred 
and  fifty  people  were  reached  and  permanently  benefited.  We  always 
took  our  Victor  machine  with  us,  and  this,  together  with  a  few  humorous 
stories,  helped  to  create  a  friendly  and  interested  attitude  to  begin 
with.  The  program  was  quite  similar  in  every  case,  as  the  audience 
was  always  different.     For  the  town  meetings,  we  had  bills  printed  and 


—  28  — 

distributed  them  widely  before  the  time.  Our  agricultural  man  talked 
on  some  subject  of  interest  to  the  farmers  and  tried  to  give  them  a  new 
viewpoint  for  future  work.  The  federal  dairyman  presented  some 
phase  of  his  work.  Boys  from  the  high  school  classes  performed  the 
Babcock  test  er  judged  some  farm  animal.  Our  teacher  of  cooking  and 
sewing,  with  the  help  of  the  high  school  girls,  gave  talks  and  demon- 
strations, and  at  the  close  "the  food  was  served  to  those  present.  These 
meetings  are  thoroughly  appreciated  in  every  case.  For  the  afternoon 
meetings,  the  schools  are  closed  and  the  buildings  turned  over  to  us. 

' '  One  extension  item  which  we  are  planning  for  the  future  is  a  contest 
among  the  farmers  in  three-acre  corn  and  alfalfa  plots.  The  banks  and 
the  county  commissioners  will  offer  cash  prizes  and  the  local  dealers 
certain  farm  machinery  and  implements.  The  contest  wTill  close  in  the 
fall  with  a  corn  and  alfalfa  congress,  which  will  partake  of  the  nature  of 
an  institute  with  especial  emphasis  upon  these  two  farm  products  and 
the  problems  connected  with  them." — E.  L.  Whitney,  Superintendent 
of  City  Schools,  Grafton  (N.  D.). 

"I  have  spent  practically  all  my  spare  time  on  pruning  and  spray- 
ing fruit  trees.  I  have  double  the  work  to  do  this  year  that  I  had  last 
year,  and  in  most  cases  I  spray  for  the  same  farmers  every  fall  and 
spring.  With  two  barrel  pumps  and  school  boys  who  get  twenty-five 
cents  per  hour  for  work  out  of  school  hours,  I  have  pruned  and  sprayed 
over  600  trees  belonging  to  farmers  who  asked  me  to  do  the  work  for 
them.  The  agricultural  boys  have  equaled  this  number  on  their  own 
farms.  I  expect  to  drum  up  this  one  phase  of  community  work  until 
the  fruit  trees  in  Hadley  are  put  on  a  paying  basis.  Results  are  what 
I  am  after,  not  talk  or  advertising  of  a  yellow  journal  style,  that  I  feel 
is  injuring  agriculture  more  than  all  the  failures  ever  did. 

' '  I  think  the  agricultural  teachers  are  being  given  too  much  to  do  by 
people  not  familiar  with  farmers  and  farm  work,  and  as  a  result  some- 
thing must  slide.  I  have  only  twelve  boys,  but  twelve  keep  me  busy. 
I  visit  their  homes  and  see  that  they  practice  what  I  preach.  I  sug- 
gest to  them  while  visiting,  I  meet  their  parents,  see  the  boy's  home 
conditions,  what  he  is  up  against,  and  that  to  me  is  more  than  all  the 
literature  on  'How  to  make  $5,000  a  year  with  six  months'  vacation' 
that  could  be  read  by  the  boys  during  school  hours.  The  boys  take  up 
one  home  project  at  least,  running  from  poultry  to  orchards,  bees  to 
kitchen  garden  or  dairying.  They  pick  their  project  and  apply  all  the 
science  and  common  sense  available  to  the  project. 

' '  I  have  placed  three  co-operative  fertilizer  demonstrations  in  distant 
parts  of  Hadley,  and  think  this  showing,  or  demonstration,  means  more 
to  the  average  farmer  than  all  the  talking  does." — E.  P.  Burke,  Hop- 
kins Academy,  Hadley  (Mass.). 

"Through  our  agricultural  department  many  farmers  were  able  to 
co-operate  on  the  purchasing  of  silos,  Avith  a  saving  of  nearly  $100  on 
each  silo  bought.  A  grain  breeders'  association  was  organized;  three 
contests  were  held — a  tomato  growing  contest  for  girls,  an  acre  growing 
contest  in  corn  for  boys,  and  a  seed  gathering  contest  held  Friday 
afternoon,  September  20th.  In  this  latter  contest  forty  boys  took  part, 
working  hard  for  one  hour  in  selecting  the  best  ten  ears  from  a  field  of 
good  corn.     The  prizes  were  awarded  upon  the  merits  of  the  ten  ears 


—  29  — 

selected  after  all  the  samples  had  been  properly  dried.  Twenty  prizes 
were  awarded  in  this  contest. 

"An  industrial  contest  like  those  that  have  been  carried  ont  during 
the  past  year  is  not  for  the  purpose  of  distributing  money.  The  object 
of  this  work  is  to  stimulate  interest  in  the  general  duties  about  the  farm 
and  home.  So  many  boys  and  girls  are  brought  up  in  the  country  in 
touch  with  the  affairs  of  the  farm  and  home  and  never  learn  to  know  or 
understand  them  simply  because  their  attention  has  not  been  called  to 
these  things.  Once  they  are  interested  and  encouraged  to  do  their  best 
they  see  that  there  is  in  reality  a  great  deal  to  the  things  they  have 
considered  so  simple.  When  they  realize  that  there  is  a  good  and  a  poor 
way  to  do  things  and  that  real  skill  and  knowledge  are  required  to  do 
them  well,  they  see  that  these  plain  tasks  are  really  worthy  and  require 
their  best  efforts. 

' '  Contests  will  be  conducted  this  coming  year.  One  new  contest  that 
is  certain  of  being  introduced  is  a  'five  acre  contest  in  corn'  for  the 
farmers.  Since  the  boys  did  so  well  in  their  one  acre,  it  will  be  interest- 
ing to  find  out  whether  the  older  men  can  do  as  well  on  five  acres  with 
special  care  and  attention.  Several  farmers  have  already  signified 
their  intention  of  entering  such  a  contest." — D.  Meade,  Hector  (Minn.) 
High  School. 

Conclusions. 

It  must  be  evident  to  any  one  who  has  read  the  preceding  pages,  that 
community  service  in  agriculture  by  the  agricultural  departments  of 
public  high  schools  is  no  untried  theory,  of  doubtful  value  in  practice. 
The  benefits  of  agricultural  local  extension  work  have  been  demonstrated 
by  many  workers,  in  many  places.  Properly  conducted,  it  promotes 
agricultural  knowledge,  prosperity,  and  community  spirit  among 
farmers ;  vitalizes  and  emphasizes  the  value  of  school  instruction ;  and, 
not  least  important,  furnishes  a  useful  avenue  through  which  the  agri- 
cultural experiment  station  may  both  keep  in  close  touch  with  farm 
conditions  and  needs  and  disseminate  the  results  of  its  investigations. 

It  is  impossible  to  state  what  will  prove  to  be  the  most  helpful  lines 
of  community  work  in  any  given  case  without  a  knowledge  of  local 
conditions  and  needs.  But  among  the  kinds  found  effective  and  men- 
tioned as  most  promising  by  correspondents  teaching  agriculture  in  the 
high  schools  of  many  states  are :  Short  courses  for  boys  and  girls  over 
school  age ;  farmers '  week  for  farmers  and  for  farmers '  wives ;  farmers ' 
institutes  in  co-operation  with  state  farmers'  institute  workers,  or  in 
co-operation  with  persons  representing  the  state  agricultural  college; 
visiting  farms  and  talking  over  farming  problems  with  farmers;  rural 
schoolhouse  meetings  for  farmers,  with  talks  on  agriculture,  domestic 
science  and  rural  problems,  enlivened  by  music,  recitations,  lantern 
slides,  etc. ;  organization  of,  or  work  with,  farmers '  clubs  for  definite 
purposes,  as  the  breeding  of  cattle,  horse  breeding,  cow  testing,  co- 
operative marketing  and  buying,  co-operative  laundry,  etc. ;  inducing 
individual  farmers  to  keep  cost  and  yield  records,  helping  in  balancing 


—  30  — 

rations,  suggesting  improvements  in  rotations,  testing  milk,  seeds,  etc. ; 
distributing  good  seed;  demonstrations  of  agricultural  practices,  as 
pruning,  spraying,  the  use  of  hog  cholera  serum,  etc.,  either  at  the 
school  farm  or  at  farms  of  the  community ;  calls  in  response  to  requests 
to  inspect  sick  stock,  diseased  grain  or  trees ;  demonstration  plots  on  the 
school  farm  and  co-operative  demonstrative  plots  on  farms  of  the  com- 
munity; inducing  farm  boys  to  take  up  "special  projects"  in  farming; 
promoting  the  teaching  of  agriculture  and  domestic  science  in  rural 
schools  by  means  of  annual  short  courses  for  rural  teachers  or  monthly 
Saturday  lectures;  visiting  rural  schools  and  helping  rural  school 
teachers  in  planning  and  carrying  on  agricultural  work  with  pupils; 
organization  of  boys '  and  girls '  clubs ;  getting  up  local  contests,  fairs, 
"corn  days"  and  the  like;  furnishing  plans  for  kitchen  gardens,  for 
rotation  schemes;  issuing  of  school  agricultural  bulletins  on  timely 
topics;  occasional  agricultural  items  in  local  papers;  issuing  an  agri- 
cultural supplement  to  local  papers  at  regular  intervals ;  establishing  a 
circulating  agricultural  library  for  farmers;  helping  a  few  leading 
farmers  to  organize  their  business  so  that  full  records  and  accounts 
shall  be  kept,  that  future  accurate  deductions  may  be  made  as  to 
legitimate  production  costs;  listing  farmers'  "for  sale"  and  "want" 
items  at  school  building,  or  in  published  lists  to  be  distributed. 

Before  attempting  community  work  the  teacher  must  first  study  con- 
ditions and  needs,  review  his  resources  in  time  and  money,  and  then 
select  the  lines  of  work  which  promise  to  be  most  helpful  and  successful. 
The  first  step  is  to  get  acquainted  with  the  farmers  and  their  problems 
and  to  win  their  confidence.  Make  haste  slowly.  Do  not  attempt  too 
much.  Do  well  what  is  undertaken.  Secure  the  co-operation  of  the 
more  progressive  farmers.  Do  more  demonstrating  than  talking. 
Avoid  a  superior  or  dictatorial  attitude.     And  keep  working. 

Difficulties  will  be  encountered,  it  is  true.  There  may  be  no  financial 
support  for  the  work,  no  time  alloted  for  carrying  it  on,  no  provision 
for  getting  to  and  from  farms.  The  teacher's  school  work  may  be 
heavy.  The  farmers  may  not  respond  readily  to  the  efforts  of  the 
teacher.     They  may  be  skeptical  as  to  the  value  of  his  suggestions. 

But  these  difficulties  need  not  dismay  the  right  kind  of  agricultural 
teacher.  If  he  is  properly  trained  for  his  work  in  the  high  school  he 
need  not  fear  failure.  Any  agricultural  teacher  who  is  really  qualified 
to  give  agricultural  courses  in  a  high  school — whose  training  has  in- 
cluded thorough  grounding  in  the  elementary  principles  of  science,  a 
detailed  technical  study  of  agriculture,  and  a  certain  amount  of  training 
in  farm  practice — can  do  more  or  less  community  work.  Good  train- 
ing in  English  and  public  speaking  will  be  of  advantage  to  him.  Knowl- 
edge of  rural  sociology  and  agricultural  economics  will  be  of  great 


—  31  — 

value.     Keen  sympathy  with  and  understanding  of  community  needs 
and  welfare  is  essential. 

It  is  desirable,  for  the  successful  carrying  on  of  agricultural  com- 
munity work,  that  adequate  allowance  of  time  be  made  the  teacher  for 
it,  his  classroom  work  being  limited,  preferably,  to  one  half  of  each  day. 
Financial  support,  means  of  getting  around  the  country  to  farm  homes, 
and  means  for  carrying  on  needed  lines  of  work,  are  most  desirable. 
The  retaining  of  the  same  agricultural  teacher  for  several  years  by  the 
school  board  is  an  advantage.  But  a  beginning  for  local  extension  work 
can  be  made  even  under  very  unfavorable  circumstances,  and,  as  the 
work  proves  its  value,  time  and  support  for  it  will  come,  together  with 
increased  opportunities  for  service. 


